


Our Life is a Dance with Death

by rainbowdots888



Category: 8UPPERS (2010), Kanjani8 (Band)
Genre: Fights, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Gangs, M/M, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-07-16
Packaged: 2018-07-24 08:13:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7500786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowdots888/pseuds/rainbowdots888
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Yield to temptation. It may not pass your way again."<br/>A 8UPPERS AU packed with romance, angst and challenges.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Temptation Room

The club was surprisingly silent, given their usual nocturnal activities. Ace had spent the night outside, for once skipping the repetitive and annoying chores linked to their business... Recently he had grown tired of the noise, the drunkards and the girls running after him every night. Most people would ask him what there was to complain about in this. Maybe he was finally too old or just bored with this easy and violent kind of life. After a long walk in the darkness of the small streets surrounding the club, he had decided to go back to his room, have a good sleep and be in shape for the day to come. He was nearly thirty two after all, an old man almost.

But before reaching his own door in the central hallway, he noticed that one of the bedrooms' door was opened, which was odd given who lived in there. The guy valued his intimacy and since they had met, almost twenty years ago, he had never been invited inside Johnny's room. It was so strange that he decided to take a peek, just in case, and check if the other was alright... Nothing was wrong at just having a quick look and no one was there anyway.  
The room was dark but the neon lights on the streets gave out enough of their trembling red light to see. Everything was tidy and perfectly pristine, as if the master of this place had spent a good deal of his time cleaning and re-arranging the lay out. It was surprisingly cosy if Ace compared it to his own place. Almost like a girl's. The bed was hidden from his sight by the door and he had to push it a bit further to check if Johnny was there or not. And there he was. The view startled him and his first reaction was to jump back into the corridor in a surprised jolt. But soon, curiosity took over his senses and he stepped again in the room, totally bypassing the rules of their community. Being asked why, he would have whispered some void excuse in a defying tone... but no one seemed to be around and the other was fast asleep. 

When the lights of the neons flickered strong enough, Ace could see the silhouette lying on the bed. The young man was resting on his side, his hands intertwined under his chin like in a silent prayer. He had gotten rid of the bed sheets that were lying on the floor, at his feet. He was entirely naked. As he took a few silent steps towards the bed, Ace couldn't advert his eyes from the gorgeous being lying there in front of him. He had never thought of Johnny this way before. What was happening to him ? His conscience told him that it was due to the roughly ten beers he had had by himself that night but somehow he felt it could be something different. He was perfectly lucid and did realize that if he were found out, he would be in really deep shit. But an irresistible force attracted him to the bed and made him reach out to the round shoulder in front of him. The pad of his fingers touched lightly the smooth skin, and encouraged by the calm and even breath of the other, he let his hand wander a bit lower, tracing a line along the toned chest, following the curve of the marked waist to reach the top the hip. Johnny didn't move an inch, his eyes hermetically closed. The temptation was incredibly strong and having felt how soft and enthralling the other was, Ace couldn't help but want more. His inner self was debating on the potential outcome of this. Should he wake the other up and try something ? Should he venture a kiss on those plump lips ? Or should he retreat to his room, get off by himself and sleep on this to forget this strange experience ?

As the tip of his fingers were still resting on the tempting hip, the floor creaked loudly in the house. Someone was walking on the wooden flooring towards the room. He jumped back in a second and confirmed that the hallway was clear before stepping into it. He closed the door softly just in time before a familiar silhouette turned around the corner. Gum was walking slowly in his pajamas, holding a glass of fresh milk, sipping occasionally from it. His hair was tousled and his eyes were small, as if he had managed to go to the kitchen without even bothering to open them.

“Ace ? What are you doing here ? I thought you had left for a few days...”

“Sssshhh. You're loud. Everyone is sleeping... I came back a minute ago. Go back to sleep, everything's alright.”

“Ah. Sure... Good night...”

The good thing with Gum was that you could make him buy anything as long as he had a glass of milk in his hand. It sometimes proved helpful. The sudden rise in tension had burst the dreamy bubble and Ace decided that this peculiar whim could definitely be forgotten with a good night and another beer. He checked Johnny's room was definitely closed and left for his own messy place, dreaming of those magnificent curves he had seen inside the bedroom. He told himself in a chuckle that he had found a great nickname for Johnny's bedroom. The Temptation Room.

****************

When morning came, Ace woke up to the sound of a happy chatter inside the club. It sounded like everyone was up already, having breakfast. Or maybe lunch.  
The memories of the previous night had faded into something that felt like a wet dream with a strange Gum-and-milk interruption. Nothing bad enough to keep him from enjoying the good life anyway. He grabbed a pair of jeans and jumping into them, walked up to the noisy part of the house, where he was sure to find food and maybe a drink.

The guys were all sitting at the counter, chatting in small groups. When Ace entered the room, their committed bartender, namely Johnny, got up and grumbled.

“ 'Was about time you woke up. Take my seat and eat something, you look terrible.”

“Sure, Pretty. It's nice to see you so lovely from the morning.” He was flashing his largest smile to his interlocutor, thinking that the young man was for sure way more attractive when he shut up. But he couldn't prevent his eyes to scan the other, redrawing virtually the line he had followed with his hand a few hours before. From the large and curvy shoulder to the perfect torso revealed by a loose tank top, and the voluptuous hip imprisonned in skinny jeans that left nothing to imagination. He felt terribly disappointed when Johnny took a loose checkered shirt from the bar and covered himself with it. The night and its dreams were definitely over, locked behind a tacky piece of garment.

****************

The warehouse was supposedly empty when Mac had sent them in to get a briefcase that should have been on a table, right in the middle. It contained their pay for a recent work, or at least they thought, before Ace noticed that there wasn't any table in sight. The place was resonating with the sound of their leather shoes crushing pebbles of dust on the dirty floor. Four of them had stayed in the van, thinking that it would be a mere formality. Johnny cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the situation, and taking three slow steps towards the centre of the building he declared :

“I guess we're late. Let's move, I don't like this.”

“Shouldn't we check the surroundings first ? Maybe it's hidden somewhere...” Arsenal sounded bitter but he did not want to undergo Mac's wrath. One bad news per day was enough.

“As you like. Let's...”

The well known noise of a firing gun interrupted his sentence, the whistle of the bullets filling the empty space in the most surprising way. Someone was targeting them from behing the metallic columns of the structure, a person they couldn't see but who had watched them since their arrival.  
Johnny threw himself on the floor suddenly, protecting his head with his hands. Both of his friends ran to him, Arsenal emptying his guns loudly towards the attacker. Just when Ace thought it was over, a large and rough hand grabbed the back of Johnny's jacket to lift him from the floor just before his eyes. The other was dragged up by a giant, against whom he didn't stand a chance. The young man kicked and hit as he could, the gigantic hands closing their fingers on his neck. Everything happened so fast that Ace felt helpless for a split second, his fists clenching at a snail-like speed. But as soon as they were locked into position, his hands feeling as hard as iron once again, he jumped on the stranger and hit him without mercy, searching for the most vulnerable points he could damage. He hit more desperately every second, bewildered by the painful hissing coming from Johnny's mouth. The other was running out of air and his limbs were slowly giving up the fight he had led against his aggressor until then. The boxer's knuckles nearly exploded against the massive silhouette, leaving blood stains on the ennemy's garments that looked like an all new Rorschach test. He finally saw an opening and gathering his last forces, aimed at his target's nape, that he smashed in one powerful blow. 

The giant fell dead on the floor, releasing his victim like a bag of laundry on the hard and cold concrete.

Attracted by the gun shots, the rest of their group came in running in the warehouse. They took care of the two of them, still lying on the floor as Arsenal wiped off the blood soiling his blade on a handkerchief. 

“Fucking suits. Are we going to wear those every single time ? Definitely not convenient when blood is involved.”

“We keep the suits. Come and give a hand here instead of complaining, Johnny's not the lightest among us.” Said Jackie who was trying to lift the passed out man torso off the floor.

****************

The others had gone to find a doctor who wouldn't be too curious when Johnny eventually opened his eyes. They had left him on the sofa, guarded by the wounded Ace who was in charge of keeping an ear on his hectic breathing. 

“Hey. How are you doing Hero ?” said the boxer with one of his mocking lopsided smiles.

“Great...” Johnny's voice was croaky and weak. He lifted his hand to his throat, running along the bruises that ran all around with the tip of his fingers. “How about you ?”

“Oh you know... the usual. I'll have to pass on the dishes for a while.” And he showed his hands to the other. His joints were cut opened and had profusely bled, leaving red threads on his forearms. He obviously couldn't close his hands or even move his fingers, as each movement drew a grimace of pain on his face.

“You're crazy... You shouldn't have done that...” Johnny sat up and took one of Ace's hands to have a look at the serious wounds.

“Oh. So I should have let you die to protect my oh-so-precious hands ?”

“Maybe I'm not worth that much pain.”

The boxer hissed loudly, as if hurt by the delicate fingers that ran over his bare flesh. Johnny looked up with his usual blasé expression. Ace was boiling with anger and his gaze piercing the other's orbs, he growled :

“Don't say that again. Ever. You hear me ? Idiot.”


	2. Stone Cold

The boxing bag chain was creaking loudly in the lounge as Ace tested his recently healed knuckles. It hurt quite a lot still but he wanted to prove the others that he could finally go back in the field with them. Their investigations had led them on the trail of some serious gangs who could have wanted them dead. It was time for him to be useful again. He threw his fists forward, hitting the bag with tremendous strength, getting his muscles back in shape with a grimace that showed how painful it was. He had never been hurt that seriously before and he still didn't get what had gotten to him on that day. His fury had come from another world making him hit blindly, without thinking, hence without convincing effect, as Johnny was suffocating. Since then he had sworn to himself that every single blow he'd throw would be meant deadly... It wouldn't happen twice.

The club was rather quiet, all of them kept busy by their own activities. Arsenal was reading a report in the same room but was as usual dead silent, taking a glimpse of Johnny and Gum's trump cards game from time to time. The two men where chuckling and exchanging murmurs regularly, the sound of their voices drowned in the rythmic creaking of the boxing bag. A loud bass could be heard from Toppo's room, as he was re-arranging his set for some special themed night to come. Jacky walked into the room wearing glasses that aged him greatly and holding thick files. He stopped next to Ace and with a single hand blocked the boxing bag.

“Won't you stop this ? The noise is annoying as hell...”

“What ? But I need to...” said Ace in disbelief. It had never been a problem until then to train among the others, why would it be now ?

“Jacky's right. Cut it out.” Johnny stood up and kept talking calmly as he left the room, slowly, conscious that everyone present was looking at him. “You're hurting yourself on that bag, stupid. Having an eye problem is not enough ? Do you want to break your hands for good ?” He stopped at the door frame and turned towards Ace, impassible.

“We won't keep someone who's not useful anymore to the group. And what are you without your fists ? A troublesome brat, that's all. You'd better think about it twice.” Letting his words float in the thick air of the lounge, Johnny turned heels and left his friends abashed. Except for Ace who was clearly fuming, already removing the bandages he had rolled around his hands. He threw them on the floor and leapt forward in anger, ready to get to that punk who dared talking to him that way. Friends or not, he would show him what respect was. He found him in the central hallway, opening his room's door quietly. He caught Johnny by his loose shirt and hurled him against one of the bedroom's walls, slamming the door behind them. The other didn't even looked surprised, a mocking smile adorning his beautiful face. Ace put his hands on both sides of Johnny's head, imprisonning him between his own body and the wall. He could feel his veins pulsating in fury in his arms and neck as his inner self was wondering why the hell the other guy was always so good at making him enraged.

“Would you be able to repeat what you just said to my face, fucker ?”

“Sure. You're a brat. Your little boxing bag frenzy is annoying and it's damaging your hands. We need your hands for the fights. Not a useless mouth to feed.”

“Show some damn respect to the people who saved your crappy life !”

“Well, I remember telling you that it was unnecessary.”

“Oh... Boy, you don't know me that well in the end. I won't let you die. Why ? 'cause we're kind of tied together. You're from my pack, and the others would be devastated by your death. I'm not letting my pack down. I saved your fucking ass and it hurt. Show respect.”

“Aaaw. You're such a sweetheart !” Johnny was convincingly mimicking a girl's fainting, as his eyes remained blank. Ace had to contain the rage inside, a fist already in the air, ready to hit the other.

“Beware. I could make your face a living nightmare with those hands you need so much. And what would happen if you're disfigured ? Oopsie. You wouldn't be useful to our group anymore. Because you're the whore here, you can gather some information but if... Say I break your nose and tear that pretty mouth in several pieces... Will we keep you ? Mmmm...I wonder.” 

He could finally see some human reaction in Johnny's eyes as he purposely used the word 'whore'. All of them had tried to avoid the topic for years, knowing perfectly what kind of tricks the young man used to extort information from their targets, blindfolding themselves. And suddenly he saw in those luminous eyes the emotional wall patiently built case after case collapsing. A shiver shook Johnny's face before giving way to a mad smile.

“You won't do that.”

“Oh. And why not ?”

“Because you want me so badly.” The young man's face was now very close, the tip of his nose brushing lightly Ace's cheek. The boxer could feel the other's warm breath at the corner of his lips, as his guts clenched in a desperate attempt to remain collected. He could have backed off, he could even have left the room before something happened. But his hand was glued to the wall, his body weighing a ton, keeping him in place, mesmerized by the soft tongue that had just licked his lower lip. When Johnny kissed him roughly, madly, he couldn't hold it anymore and pinned the other's body to the wall, his hips coming up on their own to get some of the delicious friction he craved for. Their embrace was rough and incredibly sensual, a tailor made fight for dominance as Ace's senses went wild. Overwhelmed by his urges he finally tore the other's shirt open, unveiling a perfectly shaped torso he had just caught a glimpse of several weeks before, in the darkness of the night. And something on this body struck him hard. Johnny's chest was marked with burns and red scars, some of them large enough to have been extremely painful wounds. He stopped his movements, his desires scalded by the view. Coming back to his senses, Ace took two steps back and looked at the young man with horrified eyes. 

“Who... How ?”

The other laughed, his head thrown backwards, the sounds produced by his throat full of self loathing and sufferings. He finally stopped and looking at the boxer in the eyes, stated :

“... Those are the consequences of whoring, my friend. Oh, don't tell me you thought I was having fun with all those people. We all have our scars, Ace. The thing is that you only found out about mine. Will you be able to put up with them ? Leave... please. I'm tired.” His voice had turned small, exhausted, almost like a child's. Ace walked up to the entrance and left the room without a word, closing the door softly behind him. His naked back against the hard wood, he suddenly felt empty of all might and slid down on the floor, sobbing like he hadn't in years, the rhythm of his body's tremors in sync with the loud bass of Toppo's mix.

***************** 

Mac found him at that same place, his eyes red and dry after hours by himself. No noise could be heard behind the door as if Johnny had vanished for good. Mac kneeled next to him and removing Ace's bangs from his eyes with a tender touch, spoke up.

“The others told me … What happened ? Did you guys fight ?”

“Wow. Such questions you have.” Ace had the saddest smile Mac had seen since they'd left the orphanage many years ago. “ We fought. And... we also kinda made up. But...”

“But... what ?”

“Nothing. Don't mind us. You know, we're still children after all.”

At Mac's stupefaction, Ace stood up as if nothing had happened and left, patting his shoulder in a reassuring way. It seemed like his brotherly love couldn't solve all the problems in the end.

****************

 

The days following his discovery were the gloomiest Ace had lived among his friends, his only family. Everybody behaved strangely, and avoided him when they were not on a mission. Johnny didn't even try to be nice to the others and slowly drowned into a confused state, halfway between his duty and his inner questioning. They automatically met the deadlines of their different jobs, without passion, but with extra caution. Their attackers were still unknown and running free despite the efforts they'd put into the investigation and the few hints they'd gathered didn't sound good. Too many persons wanted them out of circulation, from the notorious gangs to some of the corrupted officials of the government. Finding the most vicious ennemy in that viper's nest wasn't an easy task. Especially when they couldn't figure out how to communicate properly within their own group...

Ace had found a perfect place to chew his problems over, a secluded part of the club, on the roof, that he had never noticed before. The december downpours would discourage anyone to stay there or even have a look, and he didn't care about being wet anyway. Smoking the last cigarette of his pack, he was reading again a document Johnny had brought back to them earlier, when Arsenal appeared through the door leading to the roof. The boxer had no will to be found here pondering by himself and dove quickly behind a low brick wall, putting his cigarette out on the way. The other seemed deeply uncomfortable and kept cracking his knuckles, checking from time to time if someone was joining him. Seeing his friend so embarassed was new to Ace and he almost came out of hiding in order to ask what was wrong. But as he debating with himself on the matter, someone else finally showed up. Arsenal seemed incredibly relieved when Johnny sat next to him on an old chimney. Both of them remained silent for a while before Arsenal finally broke the silence.

“I wanted to see you... cause... well, all that's happening right now, don't you think that...”

Johnny took the cigarette from the other's lips and after inhaling deeply the stinky smoke of the gunman's drug, looked at him. 

“That … what?”

“That it may be... your guy ?”

“Oh, so subtle from you to bring back that story just when we had eventually reached a balance. No need to be jealous anymore. I'm no longer 'yours'”

Arsenal seemed taken aback and hurt by the coldness of the young man's words.

“Are you going to keep attacking anyone who wants to help you ? I got the 'no longer mine' thing very well, don't worry. But it does not mean that I shouldn't care about you anymore. The guy attacked you, especially. He could have tried to kill Ace, on that day. But he went to you.”

“He only had noticed I was the weakest in the room, an easy victim.” At that, a sad laugh escaped his mouth, as he was lost in the contemplation of the small cigarette butt he held between his fingers.

“I don't think so... I'm sure he had orders to kill you. It was his mission... Thankfully we were there. But please be careful when you're going to work alone.”

“Keisuke sure had his bad moments but he would never kill me. Never.”

The older man looked at the other with the saddest eyes Ace had ever seen and placed his scarred right hand on the other's thigh lovingly. 

“He almost did, several times. You need to talk about this to the others. I won't. It's your story, and as you said, you're not mine anymore. And believe me, it's hard to live with this everyday, next to you...” Silence fell between them, Johnny's face as cold as a stone. Looking at his profile, from his hiding place, Ace felt the burning of the other's breath against his cheek again, the softness of his lips on his. The sensations came back suddenly, flooding his heart and mind as his brain understood what had taken place in front of him. His breath short, he caught the wall next him to support his weak body just long enough for him to process information. Johnny and Arsenal. They'd been an item. And he had never noticed a thing in the serious face of the younger nor in the rude allusions of the older.

“I won't tell the others, because this is nonsense. Anyway, Ace saw the... my chest.”

“What ? How come ?”

“We kissed passionately and it was really hot. He ripped my shirt open.” Johnny was looking at his interlocutor in delight, stressing every single word to emphasize their meaning. He obviously enjoyed the shock experienced by his ex partner. “It's time to go after someone else, dear. Try Toppo, he would add a bit of color to your world.”

“Ace is violent, rough... Is it what you like in the end ?”

“Maybe. And... what if I wanted to drown my sorrow into his darkness ?” Johnny then got to his feet, brushing gently Arsenal's hand off his thigh. He slowly left the roof, followed by the broken other, in silence.

Ace could breathe normally again when the door to the roof closed behind the two silhouettes. Too many things had happened within those five dreadful minutes. His 'friends' thought of him as a dangerous and abusive person. Johnny wanted him as badly as he wanted Johnny. Someone else was trying to target them. And all of this would drag them all directly into hell.


	3. A Matter of Life and Death

A bottle of beer in hand, Ace was wandering through the club after a busy night. The others had gone to bed already as he had offered to finish the cleaning in the kitchen. He had come to love the place silent recently, the exact opposite of what it was when buzzing with hundreds of lives and reeking of spilled alcohol and sweat. In the end he started to get why Johnny was so tidy behind his bar... and in his room. What he had seen as an obsessive compulsive disorder for years finally made sense: it was an armor, a bubble of tidyness in the middle of the great whirlwind that was their official job. And to think of it, coming to see the world like Johnny was scary. That single kiss may have fried his brain more than the thousand of blows he had received throughout his life.

When he stepped into the lounge, the furniture had already been put back in place, ready to welcome their daily activities. Someone was sleeping soundly on the old couch, lying on it has if he had collapsed right there. Ace walked up to the couch, to identify the body and just when he recognized Johnny, his face smiling peacefully, someone else moved in the room. In front of him, behind the couch, appeared Arsenal holding a blanket in his arms. Staring right into his eyes in defiance, the gunman covered the sleeping body with the warm fabric and gestured silently towards the kitchen. Those black eyes could have killed as sure as one of his gun's bullets, if he had wanted to... so Ace followed silently, fearing the discussion ahead. The other had found two old chairs and patted one of them for the boxer to seat before closing the kitchen's door... they wouldn't be heard by anyone.

“So...” Arsenal lit up a cigarette, letting his word linger in the thick air a bit too long for Ace's taste. “So you are hitting on him ?” His dark hair was falling in messy bangs before his eyes, making it harder for the younger man to catch every nuance of the speech. Should he answer 'yes' or 'no' ? It was a matter of life and death with someone as weird as Arsenal.

“I... Don't know ? Are you going to kill me without eye witnesses if I say yes ?”

The other laughed softly, exhaling clouds of smoke that went directly to Ace's eyes, blurring his vision.

“No... I'm not a cold bitch. I may be a bit on edge but I still control myself. Is it a yes then ?”

“Yes... Kind of.”

“There's no 'kind of' with him. It's yes or no. Friendly advice.”

“You know I was there, on the roof. I don't know how, but I can feel it.”

“Yeah, I had noticed you from the beginning. You fail at those ninja things, you know ? Anyway... I appreciate you said nothing about it to the others.” He offered his cigarette to Ace, who surprisingly refused. 

“You're welcome. I know how to keep secrets.”

“As we're at it, man... I was there too when you 'visited' Johnny's room. You were quite bold, touching him in his sleep. Thankfully, Gum walked by. What would you have done then ? Take advantage ?”

“Of course not. I'm not... a monster.” Ace shrugged then, remembering the fascination he had experienced in this room, the soft skin under his fingers, the flicking lights, painting the walls red on the rhythm of his heartbeats. “...But what were you doing in his room as well ? Isn't your 'thing' finished ?” 

He had stressed the last word with pleasure, reminding the other that he didn't have any right to be there either.

“I broke into the room. I still have the key, you see... A brass band could play 'Amazing Grace' in his room when he's sleeping like that... There's nothing loud enough to wake him up, so I could take my time to look at some things. But you entered, it's my fault, I should have closed the door.”

“Why didn't you go during the day ? Or when he's not home ?”

“I don't know... I guess I wanted to see. Once more.”

“And what did you want to find ? Because now, you just sound like a stalker to me...”

“Documents. About the guy who's targetting us and Johnny's kinda protecting. I'm sure that guy wants his death and I had to do something, by myself.”

“Time has come for you to tell me everything. And... as for Johnny and the fact we kissed and all... I didn't know anything about your story and I still don't get how it did happen. But my feelings are real. They won't go, they're haunting me. I want him so bad it makes me crazy. And sorry if it hurts you but I won't skip my turn because you're still mourning what you lost.”

“I didn't expect mercy from you. You want him ? Alright. He wants you. But let me tell you, you're embarking on a wicked journey. If you're hurting him though, you know I'll be there to make you understand what it takes to be a gentleman... You are going to tame the beast inside you and become a kitten purring in his arms. You want him ? Teach him how to be loved properly. It's a course he has skipped way too much. If you succeed my friend, I'll be the happiest man alive, but don't fool yourself, others burnt their wings at that little game before you.” 

“Challenge accepted.” Ace said in a proud voice. Deep inside, he felt that somehow his own life and sanity were now at stake, in the most rightful fight he'd led in years.

“Alright. Now, let's fill you in about Keisuke...”

****************

_The tall guy walked without hesitation to the smaller one seated on the locker room's bench. He brushed some long and dark bangs away from his lover's eyes and passed it behind his ear. Arsenal looked up, apparently surprised. He nonetheless opened his arms and let Johnny straddle him as he caressed his back. His hands and muscles were painful after a long day of shooting training but soon he relaxed as gorgeous lips went from his naked torso to his mouth, kissing their way up eargerly. He let a moan slip past his own lips when the other's hands joined the feast and caressed his tired hips. They were hot and soft, perfect to forget his pain and the fact that they were still hiding from the rest of the world. He loved that feeling of urgency, that fear of being discovered that fueled their desire for each other transforming a simple kiss in a heated make-out in the matter of a second. There were no words between them, most of the time. Touches, kisses, cries and moans seemed to be enough. When Arsenal slipped his fingers under the other's tank top, he flinched in pain, ending the embrace in a grimace._

_“... Are you ok ?”_

_“I... It hurts here, please don't touch” said the young man in a shy smile._

_“Show me.”_

_“What ? No... You don't need to see, it's...”_

_Arsenal lifted the thin fabric up quickly to discover a large bruise on Johnny's stomach. The skin was black and purple, the swelling as large as an open hand. He could read guilt on the other's face, looking every inch like a child about to be reprimanded._

_“You saw him ? Again ?!”_

_“Well, it was just... I needed that info for Jacky and... You know how he is, he likes me so much and...”_

_Arsenal pushed his lover, throwing him back on his own feet. His face distorted with anger he screamed._

_“Why are you doing this ?? He will kill you one day !”_

_“It's my fucking job ! It's what I'm needed for ! My utility. Don't scream at me like this, I'm not a child anymore !” Johnny's voice was distorted by the sobs, tears running on his cheeks. The pain in Arsenal muscles had returned, his head buzzing with jealousy and hatred. He lifted a hand high ready to slap the other who was now kneeling in front of him. As his palm was coming down with force he saw eyes, wide open and afraid. Johnny was just waiting for the blow, the disbelief and betrayal visible all over his face._

_Not me. I can't do this._

_Arsenal fell on his knees as well, as his arm went down with him, weak and trembling. He looked at Johnny and smiled softly._

_“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I love you so...”_

_“You'll never touch me again, you hear ? Never. I'm not your thing.”_

_“I didn't know what I was doing, I'm so sorry... Don't leave me please...”_

_“Never. I'm done with your jealousy.”_

_The young man stood up and towering over the gunman said in a shaking voice :_

_“Anyway, Keisuke is getting married soon, to a woman. This was his farewell present. See ? You don't need to worry anymore. And I came back with lots of information for us. I'm useful, you all need me.” Tears were rolling down his cheeks, pooling on the sides of his mouth._

 

****************

 

Arsenal lit up his fifth cigarette, still standing in front of Ace. His voice was very calm, almost soothing.

“It's the last time I ever kissed him. You don't know how much I regret that day. But I know at least a thing : this Keisuke wants him dead. He knows too much about his 'unreasonable' fantasies and kinks, and even collected proofs of this throughout the months their little games lasted. The guy is getting married to one of the girls of the wealthiest fucker around here and doesn't want anyone in his way. Johnny is nothing for him, just another cockroach he can step on. He almost succeeded last time, but you were here and you were amazing. No kidding, I'm really thankful. But we need to stop him definitely.”

“Why didn't Johnny tell us about it ?”

“He doesn't want to be thrown out. If he talks about all of this he fears Mac and Jacky would 'fire' him. He doesn't want to be abandoned... again.”

“But we wouldn't...”

“Good luck explaining this to him. I tried, I failed. And I made lots of mistakes on my side too. He won't listen to me anymore. Love him, and protect him if you can... And maybe he'll speak.”

****************

“Hi. So you're drinking by yourself in lousy bars ?” 

Ace had put up his flashiest smile, testing his acting skills for the first time. He had followed Johnny out in the morning and through his day in the crowded city. Remembering that he had no Ninja skills - which was only Arsenal's personal opinion after all - he had kept a good distance between them until the young man entered a bar. Waiting outside by himself for almost two hours, he had decided that the hell of consequences, he would come in and check if the other had fled using the backdoor. Johnny was still in though, reading a book over a glass of bourbon on the rocks.

“Ace ? What the hell are you doing here ?”

“Oh I saw you from the outside...” said the boxer as he pointed at the bar window, hoping his lie would pass through the other's confusion. 

“Oh. I was on my way out anyway... I just finished my book.”

“ Ok. Can I walk with you a bit ?”

“You will, even if I say 'no', right ?” And for the first time in weeks, Ace saw a genuine smile stretch the corner of Johnny's lips. This simple movement warmed up his heart and had him terribly excited. So much for being a cold blooded fighter...

They walked alongside each other in silence, the long steps of Johnny leading them to the docks, where a good part of the light available came from the full moon. The place was seedy and as they made their way among the containers, Ace perceived footsteps behind them. Without turning his head towards his friend, he whispered.

“Can you hear that ? Someone's following us.”

“Yeah... For quite a long time already. Keep walking, we're almost there.”

But as the young man finished his sentence three huge men appeared in front of them, getting in their way. The footsteps behind came closer, belonging to two other persons. They were trapped between the two groups, on an alley without any way out. Ace felt Johnny's hand grab his arm in a panic movement as his eyes were frantically looking for an exit. He knew by experience that if they stayed there, they'd be dead by midnight, beaten up by some huge henchmen whose mission was to leave nothing that could be identifiable. 

“Are you ready to run ?”

“Yeah... but...”

“If you trust me, we'll be ok. Just hold my hand.” said Ace raising his left hand towards the other. They looked at each other in silence for a second and Johnny caught his hand strongly. When some rocks cracked under the soles of their attackers, triggering the fight, they dashed forward together, the boxer distributing blows and kicks as they went, making his way through the wall of muscles. He didn't even try to stand against those brutes, his strategy was simple : running away as fast as they could. After a few blind punches, they found themselves miraculously on the other side of the group of attackers, visibly disoriented by the stupidity of Ace's plan. They had expected a good brawl following the unwritten rules of the street fights, but the boxer knew very well he couldn't handle the five mountains all by himself. If he had to show humility once in his life, it had to be now. He checked that Johnny's hand was still in his and shouted:

“Run !!!”

And they ran, not letting go of each other, chased by the henchmen in the small streets of the city, turning left or right by chance. Ace's lungs were burning and his muscles felt about to give way when he was suddenly dragged through the entrance of a building by the other. Johnny slammed the door behind them and fell down on the floor, trying to catch his breath. For a few minutes, only they ragged breaths could be heard in the hallway before the young man turned to Ace.

“Could you... let go of my hand ? Please ? You're crushing it.”

“Oh. Sure. Sorry...” he let a small laugh escape him at that, releasing his grip on the other slowly.

“That was the craziest thing we've ever done, damn...”

“I didn't think you could run that fast, you always complain when we have to...” 

“Quit that smirk, you brat. I'm not made for sports, that's all.” Johnny was now laughing out loud, the music of it incredibly pleasant to Ace's ears.

“Where are we, by the way ?”

“Ace... we're home. Don't tell me you...” 

All of a sudden, the boxer realized Johnny had kind of led them to one of the club's backdoors that they rarely used. Only Gum opened it from time to time when he fed the stray cats of the neighborhood. Johnny got up and smiled, tilting his head in a silent invitation to come with him. Ace followed gently, mesmerized by the other, his body made limp by the race against death they'd just run. They walked down the corridors silently, until Ace found himself into the Temptation Room, sat on Johnny's bed, a smile on his lips.

“Why are you smiling like a retard ? You're injured. Let me take care of this.” The young man was obviously amused by his companion's attitude, discovering this mellow character. He searched through boxes placed on his shelves as Ace was removing his favorite yellow Tshirt, stained with his blood. It seemed like one of the attackers could reach his right shoulder with a blade in the end. There was no pain when the other cleaned the wound carefully and covered it with a white bandage.

“My Tshirt's buggered. Tssss. I loved it.” 

“Sorry you lost your favorite piece of fabric. I'll remember it properly.”

“Don't laugh, you fucker...” Said Ace while he caught Johnny's nape with his valid hand. His palm settled there, as his fingers slipped slowly back and forth through the dark hair. He tried to catch the young man's eyes with his gaze, leaning closer to his face every second. “... and kiss me instead.”

Their lips touched slowly as their repressed breaths made them dizzy. There was restraint in this kiss, as if both of them tried to tame their usual ardor. With a light push, Ace knocked Johnny down on his bed. He kept his slow rhythm, afraid of bursting the quiet bubble of comfort and understanding they'd built around them. Kissing the desired lips again and again, he took his time removing the young man's clothes, layer after layer until he was about to get rid of the fitting tank top that remained. Swiftly, Johnny's hands went down and clenched the fabric, keeping it down a little more as panic rose in him. His eyes were worried and the seducing pink shade of his cheeks gave way to a strange pallor. 

“Let me see, please. If I have to be yours, I need to know.” The faint whisper in the young man ear made him shiver - of pleasure or worry, Ace was not sure - but soon the clenched hands slowly released the hem of the shirt, falling then limp on both sides of his torso. The boxer patiently disposed of it, and Johnny let him move his limbs around without resistance. Silence fell on the room as Ace followed the marks on the other's body with the tip of his fingers, tracing patterns, jumping from one to another as if he were a blind man discovering a sculpture for the first time. He felt bolder every second, his palms joining the dance of his fingers and embraced the curves he had dreamed of, caressing the scars in a desperate attempt to transform them into a pleasurable sensation. When finally his hands were not enough, he bent over the other's body and pressed his lips softly against the marks, licking from time to time when the other shivered and moaned under him. He couldn't get enough of Johnny's flavor, tasting and smelling every inch of the abused skin in a slow and animal ritual that led him back to the young man's mouth. They were both crying when they kissed again, holding each other so tightly that their arms hurt. 

“Please, help me. I've lost control... You have to save me from myself.” whispered Johnny in a broken voice. Ace dried the remaining tears on his lover's cheeks with his thumb and gently kissed the tip of his nose. 

“I'll do my best. But let's save you from them first. I won't be able to help you if you die in the first place.”


	4. Falling Into His Trap

The day was beautiful beyond any expectations Ace could have had. He usually hated hanging out when the sun was high, seeing himself as a nocturnal animal, living on alcohol, cigarettes and adrenaline. But that afternoon was slightly different. The breeze was soft and caressing, the temperature perfect and he was snoozing blissfully on a rug, tickled by the sunrays. The fact that his pillow was Johnny's shoulder made it even better, as both of them were digesting the gigantic picnic they had prepared and eaten. Ace listened to the children's playful screams and the buzzing of the city around them with a new ear, feeding himself with life and light. 

When he felt he couldn't nap longer, he sat up and played with some hair grass that were growing around them. Getting bored during such an amazing day wouldn't do. He started to tickle the sleeping body lying next to him with the grass, running it lightly along the other's forearm, shoulder and neck, up to his ear. He hadn't been so childish for years but it felt so good that he kept exploring Johnny's face with his toy until he woke him up. 

“It tickles.”

“Yeah, I know. I've been doing this for quite a long time... Your sleep is so deep.”

“Mmmm. I was dreaming. It was great. I hope you have a good reason for bringing me back to reality...”

“You were dreaming of me, of course... And we were on that beach, together, far from this crappy place, ignoring the sunset because we had wayyyy sexier things to do and...”

“Tssss. Not even close. You're such a wishful thinker... I was dreaming of a good curry.”

“Oh.” Ace couldn't clearly put words on his feelings at that point but disappointment was certainly one of them. Somehow he would have loved Johnny even more at that second if he had played along this little game with him. The day was too beautiful to reduce it to curry dreams. “So you're hungry, like, one hundred percent of the time ?”

“Yep. Oh come on, don't sulk. I'm hungry for you as well...” His lover's lips touched his jaw, slowly following its outline only to gain access to his pouty mouth. And after the very few days that their relationship had lasted Ace already knew that he couldn't resist to such an invitation. He turned to the other and gave in, kissing him hungrily, trying to dissolve the slightly uncomfortable feelings he had just experienced in the embrace. When a cold shadow suddenly loomed over them, he didn't react, thinking that eventually a cloud had succeeded in hiding the sun. It's when someone cleared his throat next to them that they finally broke their kiss. A freezing aura was surrounding them, feeling like the crazy wind announcing a storm.

“Oh nice, you've found yourself a nice little boyfriend here, Jo.”

Four men were looking at them, masking the sun with their tall figures. The one who had talked was slightly shorter, but obviously the boss, surpassing the others in elegance and charisma. He was handsome, in his thirties, the hair dark and glossy falling in supple curls around his face. His beard was short and delicately trimmed, which aged him just enough to trigger respect from youngers. But what Ace despised from the very first look were his eyes. Intense and piercing, they drilled a hole through him, through his existence as they were observing, engraving every single details of him for future reference. Johnny had frozen on the blanket, his gaze kept low to avoid the eye contact. His right hand clenched Ace's thigh, grabbing the denim of his jeans firmly.

“... And you are...?” said the boxer to save time. The threatening figure could very well be the last person he wanted to meet that day, and if he were, he might as well know it quickly. A good escape had to be planned.

“Oh... And sexy voice on top of that... My name's Keisuke Hasegawa. Nice to meet you. I'm surprised my darling here didn't tell you about me. I like to be told about... I find it incredibly funny when my victims, the ones that I've never met before, already know my name. It adds to the pleasure when I finish them off. It's flattering to be a legend, you see.” 

“Nope. Never heard about you. You must be very forgettable in the end... Anyway, what do you want ?”

“Well... I'll just warn you for today. No one plays with my toys. And, too bad, this one's mine.” Keisuke was pointing at Johnny, smiling with delight at his effect on the young man. The henchmen around him looked nervously around, ready to fight if anything happened.

“No one's yours. Leave. Leave now.” Johnny's voice was low, almost like the growl of a wounded animal. It startled them all and the silence fell heavy on their group. In a reckless movement, Keisuke kneeled in front of Johnny and lifting his head with one finger, captured his gaze.

“Is that how you should talk to me ? Darling, you were sweeter before. I don't think this guy has a good influence on you. You should...” 

The young man suddenly spat on Keisuke's face as his face turned red out of rage. Ace laid a hand on his shoulder, to prevent any further action. It was not the moment to take revenge. They couldn't escape a bunch of enraged killers twice in the same week, as miracles were not likely to happen in their world.

“Ah. See? Bad influence...” The man wiped his face with his sleeve and stood up. No anger could be seen on his face, which Ace found especially threatening. How could he keep his cool so well ? “Alright, I've seen more than enough for today. Let's go guys. You two... remember that you're never alone. I'll keep an eye on you, and one day, Jo... You'll get what you deserve. You've been a very bad boy.”

They left slowly, as if the world belonged to them, picking a flower here and there and filling the air with their raucous laughter. The sun reappeared but its hotness was not enough to warm the lovers up. Johnny grabbed his bag and left in silence, followed by a very confused Ace. 

 

****************

 

The light of dawn, making its way through the broken shutters of Ace's room, had almost reached their faces. He had been awake for a while now, observing the rays of light crawl on both their skins, higher and brighter every second. Johnny had said nothing the previous night after the unfortunate meeting in the park. He had gone behind his bar, had taken the orders and grimaced at some pushy women before calling it a day. He had knocked at Ace's door later in the night, only to collapse onto the untidy bed and snuggle up in his lover's arms. No words had been exchanged as the boxer was not sure how to deal with the situation. He had spent a shitty night between nightmares and internal debates. He was only sure of one thing : they had to talk about it and ask their friends for help. When the light finally caressed the young man's nose, his face twitched and his eyes opened slowly.

“Morning... How are you today ? Better ?” Saying something like this, Ace felt like breaking a thick wall of silence between them, as he was not even sure to remember what the other's voice sounded like.

“I'm... Okay. Thank you for letting me stay with you.”

“Are you kidding me ? You're welcome anytime here...”

“Yeah, thanks. But... how about we stick to my room from today ? Yours is... special.” Johnny smiled brightly saying that and Ace felt suddenly as if nothing special had happened. He still didn't get how a simple smile from his lover could erase so much in a second, but he wouldn't argue. A smile was a lot more than what he had expected. He leaned forward to give him a kiss and the other responded to it with passion.The boxer forced himself to part, remembering his resolutions.

“Wait... We should... tell the others. Now.” Johnny looked surprised for a second before smiling softly.

“Yes. We will... Just let me kiss you.”

“But...” The other's lips were already on his and silenced him, muffling his protest. Soon, what had just happened faded, his body and mind too busy dealing with the pleasure granted by the expert tongue and lips that roamed his body. Eventually he was there, in Johnny's arms, taking and giving in a whirlwind of touches, every second bolder and more in love. This scene that he had pictured in his mind hundreds of time since he had pushed the Temptation Room door exceeded his most incredible fantasies. But lost as he was in this storm of feelings, Ace's kept being mindful of the other's pleasure. And it may have been the first time he felt that sharing was the best thing ever. That love could teach lessons.   
His lover went further than they had ever been, offering his everything to him, surrendering to his caresses and desires in a storm of moans. For once in his life he knew what completeness was as he came in a blissful cry.

Before collapsing again on his bed, satisfied and exhausted, he kissed the beloved lips softly and whispered :

“Today, we're telling the others. I won't lose you. Ever. We'll protect you...”

Johnny laughed, almost jockingly, before answering with the deepest voice he could carry out.

“I love you. Remember this moment forever. I'm yours.”

And Ace fell asleep on these words, his heart at peace.

 

****************

 

He opened his eyes for the second time that day to an empty bed. The other was gone and the only proof he had ever been there was the luscious scent still lingering on the pillow. Ace got up and stretched his spent body with a smile on his lips, thinking that he would sell everything he possessed to be able to live this morning again and again. Still smiling broadly he left his room and checked if the Temptation Room was locked. It was. Johnny may have gone directly to the bar or might be waiting for him in the lounge. They had an important mission today : convince the others of the threat and act, as a group, as a family. Ace's faith was however a bit shaken when he arrived in the lounge and saw that everyone was there except for his lover. The boys were discussing, training or just reading books sprawled on the sofa, but Johnny was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey ! 'Morning guys...”

“ 'Morning !” answered five voices in a perfect chorus.

Arsenal raised an eyebrow and stopped reading the newspaper he had in hand.

“Ace... What happened to you ? Are you ok ? You're smiling !”

“Ahah. So funny. Stop trying humor, it doesn't suit you. Did anyone see Johnny this morning by the way ?”

“Ow, you lost your new toy ?” Arsenal voice was filled with envy and his sneaky comment achieved to attract the others' attention.

“New toy ? What does that mean ?” Mac had given up his accounting and was now looking at him from his desk, his intimidating black eyes set on the boxer. Even Toppo had paused his video game and was muttering a litany of 'Interesting...' like a mischievious kid savoring the latest schoolyard rumor.  
Ace felt stripped off his clothes and skin, his heart bare in front of his friends. Arsenal would pay for that attitude, for sure, but he had a more urgent matter to handle at the moment.

“Means... nothing. The old man is being his usual snarky self. So ? Anyone ?”

“Nope. Haven't seen him in a while. Last time I talked to him was yesterday, early evening.” Gum was sipping one of his glasses of milk, the former allusion apparently without effect on his unsuspicious soul. 

“Yeah, same here” answered Jacky.

“In fact, he didn't eat breakfast with us this morning, which is super strange given the glutton he is.” Toppo had resumed his game and punctuated his speech with the bips of his console. The attention span of that kid was disastrous.

As his friends made their report, it became clear to Ace that his lover had disappeared from the club. His cellphone had been abandoned on the counter and his shades were still resting on the table. The truth sank in his heart as he remembered the last words Johnny had whispered to him this very morning when he was falling asleep in his arms.

I love you. Remember this moment. I'm yours.

These words of adoration now sounded like a cruel farewell. As his heart shattered into millions of dismayed pieces, Ace managed to utter some words :

“I think we have a problem. A serious one.”


	5. Hell's Corridor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're not familiar with Japanese, Jigoku (地獄) means 'Hell', or at least refers to a similar concept in Japanese Buddhism.

He had told them. Everything that had to be explained and more. Too much. But they knew now... Knew how he felt torn apart, how without them keeping an eye on him he would have already gone berserk and raided Keisuke's lair all by himself. Ace couldn't believe that Johnny had fled, simply. He was making up reasons in his mind : maybe he had just forgotten his phone and would come back for his shift, maybe he had had an accident on the way back, maybe the henchmen had finally gotten hold of him.

He was in foetal position on the sofa muttering reasons, justifications and sometimes letting a tear escape his contracted eyes. Arsenal had put aside his barbed comments and was talking with Mac about the whole thing. Their whispers buzzed without end on the other side of the room, sometimes interrupted by an angry exclamation coming from the oldest of them all. He clearly felt at loss, suddenly learning what had unfolded under his own roof, without him noticing. Jacky laid a soothing hand on his friend's nape, his concerned face telling more than any words. It was their world falling apart, and they had even lost one of them.

Mac got up and announced with a gloomy voice that they were to close the club that night and wait for Johnny until the next day, at noon. If he did not return, they'd go after him. He looked at Ace, his eyes clouded by the shock, halfway between resentment and comprehension.

“Don't let go. He'll come back... And if it's not by himself, we'll bring him back. Listen to me guys, it's important. I don't want any more secrets that big between us, see where it leads. Fuck with whoever you want but be honest and clear, we can't afford to lose one of us, we're a family. We became this family together and we chose our members. Love is definitely part of the equation and no one will get angry at that... kind of things. We started this at seven, we'll finish it seven.”

At that he left the room, followed by Jacky. The others stayed next to Ace, conscious that he could escape any moment and reduce their number by one again. Gum turned to them with a puzzled expression on his face.

“Wait... He said 'fuck with whoever you want' … Who ??”

Toppo patted his friend's tousled hair and declared with a smirk :

“Ah, Gum, bless your innocence.”

 

***************

The following day at noon, there were no news of Johnny and Ace was still prostrate in the sofa. He had not moved an inch, as the others kept themselves busy to avoid thinking. When the hour came, they all gathered in the lounge and sat around the table. Ace was in a daze and had to be supported by two of them to sit with the group. Jacky was the first to talk, his slightly croaky voice echoing in the rather empty club.

“So... he's not here. Obviously. Mac and me spent the night looking for a club or a place that could be this other guy's HQ. Arsenal and Ace gave the same name so we're pretty sure it's him. Keisuke Hasegawa... he's the son of Takahiro Hasegawa, the boss of the largest clan around. Unfortunately, Johnny had to approach them several times to find clues or proofs on our own command. Had we known what was really happening, of course, we would have stopped that. His lair is a gloomy bar situated in the depths of Kabukicho, the Jigoku, which says a lot on what to expect in there. The guy is notoriously violent and clever, so if Johnny is in there, we'll have to outsmart him. Which means no aggression, no fighting at first”

Saying that he looked at Ace and Arsenal, both of them boiling and inwardly planning their attack.

“Which means I'm going first.” Said Mac, already tying his black tie. “And I'll take Ace with me. Just because I need protection and he's, hum... the most concerned by this. But if you do one single thing wrong, we leave and I think you can say good bye to your... to Johnny. Is that clear?”

“Yeah. Let me fetch my suit and grab a coffee.” 

They left at once, both of them more disturbed than they wanted to admit. Their friend may be dead by now. Or worse, he might have changed camps.

****************

The bar was everything its name described. Ace thought that he couldn't find a more miserable place in Tokyo even if he searched for years. It was dirty everywhere and the clients looked like they had been found under a bridge, to furnish the main room and deceive the regular passer-by. It smelled like turned frying oil and every piece of furniture was covered in several layers of sticky dust where flies died stuck. The only detail that showed it was not the purgatory was the red velvet curtain hanging behind the counter. It looked too clean and new to belong to this world. Mac walked in first and instantly made his way between the filthy tables, taking care of not brushing one of them with the hem of his jacket. Among his despair, Ace found this amusing enough to crack a smile. Even in the worst moments, his friend remained a perfect dandy, terribly attached to their 'gentlemen in a suit' image. He made it behind the counter just when the bartender tried to deny Mac the entrance to the back room.

“I came to see Hasegawa san. We have some questions to ask him.”

“Do you have an appointment ?”

Mac laughed suddenly. A beautiful and energetic laugh that startled everyone present in the room. He sure knew how to unsettle his ennemies. 

“Of course not. I'd never make an appointment to go to Hell. I've still my whole life to live. Now move.”

Miraculously, the injunction worked on the stunned little man who let both of them go through. The style changed immediately and they found themselves in a comfortable looking night club which walls had been covered with a dark shade of purple velvet. The lights were faint, alternating red and beige bulbs on gorgeous chandeliers. Ace found it very tacky and certainly not a place where he'd like to drink and have fun with friends. The whole place smelled of fear and danger... and dried blood, if he analyzed long enough.

“Stay next to me Ace. Stay put. I'm doing the talking and you move only if they put their guns to our temples. Okay ?”

“Yes, mom.” 

“Tsss. It's not the moment for a joke. Save this for Johnny, later.”

Someone moved on the other side of the room as Ace noticed a small group of men, sitting around their boss. Keisuke was there, smoking elegantly, an eye on a card game. He turned his head towards them and smiled.

“Ah, we have guests ! Come on guys, take a seat !”

They walked up to the henchmen group but refused the armchairs they were offered with a nod. The boxer was terribly nervous and the memory of Johnny's hand clenching his jeans two days ago came back to his mind. He could feel that his lover was somewhere in there. And it wrecked his heart.

“Oooh, but who's this we have here... Isn't that Jo's boyfriend ? Well, he's wearing a suit so he looks way better than last time, but...”

“I'm in front of you, in the room, fucker. Speak to me. Don't act as if I'm not here.”

“Ace !” hissed Mac, placing himself between them.

“I don't know who you are, beautiful porcelain doll, but keep your stray dog away from my property, please. He's obviously feral.” Ace could see how amused Keisuke was with the situation. He was the one in a position of strength and took a great delight in their obvious struggle.

“My friend here won't speak again. I'm the one you'll be talking to, and I'm going to ask straight, as we're both busy entrepreneurs without spare time. Where's Johnny ?”

“Ouch. Straightforward. I have to be honest... Johnny's here. He came to me yesterday and claimed he had been hit and then abused by his boyfriend, the boxer. The mad dog. You know, my heart hurt hearing this... so I took him here, with me. 'Cause I care for him.” 

One of the henchmen stiffled a laugh as Mac turned to Ace with angry eyes.

“I did nothing !! How can you doubt me ?” This was worse than any other scenario he had pictured. What if Mac believed this guy ? What if Johnny had said this for real ?

“You did.” The boxer heart sunk when he heard this deep voice he had learned to love. Johnny appeared through a hidden door, limping slightly, his face covered with bruises. Ace moved suddenly, ready to go support his lover, take him in his arms and soothe his pain with kisses. But Mac's powerful hands kept him in place, making him growl from frustration.

“Johnny, come back home, let's discuss that together and see what went wrong. Please.” The older man kept his his voice low, calm and reassuring as he tried to persuade a person he considered his brother to escape a deadly place. But Johnny did not flinch and turned heels.

“Leave me. I'm home now.” he whispered, as the small door closed behind him.

“You heard him ? He's scared by you. Leave my house, you violent bastards, before I get bored with this little game.”

Mac turned silently, grabbed Ace's sleeve and dragged him out, under the amused gaze of Keisuke. The disaster had been greater than anticipated.

****************

Back in the van, Ace cried. Cried loudly and without restrain, like the day he had seen Johnny's scars for the first time. And once again, Mac's soothing hand caressed his shoulder warmly, as if he tried to decipher his friend's emotions.

“Tell me you don't believe him, please” his words were cut by heavy sobs, as he struggled to breathe. “Please, don't believe him. I'd never hurt Johnny, never. I love him. We made love. I didn't touch him this way !”

“Shhhh. I know, I know, don't worry. What gets to me though is that he did. Again. He hit him and hard... This bastard will pay.” 

They stayed wordless for a while as Mac drove them back to the club. Ace's cries had stopped, replaced with a cold anger, a determination that was stronger than any of the other's. He would go back that night, he would free his love, and if he had to get killed because of that, so be it. Life wasn't interesting anymore without Johnny.

****************

They made a report to the others, forgetting no details of their conversation. Everyone voted for a concerted action on the following day, when the Jigoku was likely to be almost empty. They prepared their weapons, furbishing their favorite toys thinking about Johnny and what he could be enduring as they waited for the best moment to take a move. But Ace had already prepared another plan. When everyone had gone to bed he left his room and walked silently through Gum's cat-feeding backdoor. His fists would be his weapon and his anger would give them power. As he closed the door softly behind him, a voice rose in the silent street.

“I was sure you'd do that. Y'all think I'm stupid but I can see it when you're having bad ideas.”

Gum was standing in the dark, his beloved stick in hand, barring his way. 

“Move aside, please. I'm gonna pass anyway and I don't want to hurt you.” Gum had always beaten him in their children fights but this time was not a game, Ace felt capable of anything. 

“Oh I won't fight you. Some asshole is keeping my friend and he's an abuser, he's a seriously bad guy... I'm coming with you. I love Johnny too... hmm well, my feelings are a bit different than yours, if I guessed correctly, but...”

“Thanks !” Ace threw himself in the other's arms and gave him a bear hug. It felt good to hear the simplicity and the boldness of Gum's words. He won't be alone that night, he had the sweetest merciless fighter on his side.

****************

They could enter the Jigoku as customers thanks to the faint lighting and oblivious staff. It was late, they weren't wearing their suits and looked pretty much like every young guy roaming Kabukicho at night. The most difficult part would be to squeeze themselves through the hidden door that Ace had seen earlier. They waited for a while and when a fight started on the opposite side of the room they opened the door swiftly and jumped on the other side. No one was guarding the entrance and the hallway they found looked plain, enlighted by white neon bulbs as if they had landed into a hospital. The sound of screams and music was faint, as the place seemed to have been isolated greatly. Some parts of the walls had been padded, like the cells in psych units, adding a gloomy look at an already scary corridor. A few doors rythmed the side walls, each of them equipped with a small window.

“Okay, let's find him. You take the left side, I'll check the right.” Ace commanded. Gum ran to his side and checked every door quickly. When he arrived before the seventh one he called :

“Ace!! Here!! Quick...”

The door was locked and Ace had to kick it with all his strength to make it open. It was the loudest solution but they had no time left to be discreet. They found Johnny asleep on a very simple bed, his hands tied together in front of him. The light coming from the corridor let them have a glimpse at how awful the beating had been. His bare torso was burned in several places and his plump lips had cracked, leaving blood trails on his chin. Ace had a sudden and violent nausea that sent him on his knees, right in front of his lover's face. Overcoming his weakness he shook Johnny's shoulder to wake him up. The other had not been woken up by the door opening, and the boxer feared that he had already ceased to breathe. But slowly his tired eyes opened, two pools of a luminous hazelnut color that gazed right into Ace's darker ones. 

“What are you doing here ? All that I said...”

“I'm bringing you back home. I know how to ignore your nonsense now... You're not spending one more minute in that place.” Relieved to hear the other's voice, the boxer smiled warmly.

“Oh, Ace, why ? You will die... I didn't want you to die... He's dangerous, so dangerous...”

“I don't care. Why did you sacrifice yourself in the first place? Stupid.” He was already helping his lover up when Johnny stopped his movements. Gum was waiting at the door, visibly in a hurry to leave. 

“Ace... I must tell you. What I said earlier, he made me do this. He threatened everyone's life and...”

“I know. It's okay...”

“Wait. Do you remember at the park ? The dream ? I've been dreaming of you for years, Ace. I... had to say it.”

Ace stopped walking for a second and looked at his lover's eyes. They were honest and vibrant despite the pain. It felt like a wave of happiness engulfing him as he could feel Johnny's warmth under his palms. Everything was in place, and the future was just before them. 

Gum was opening his mouth to urge them when a blow came from behind and sent him on the floor. He laid there, unconscious before his friends, when Keisuke entered the room.

“T-t-t-t. You're so predictable. Coming all the way here to get that piece of shit that serves you as a boyfriend back ? My... You're a hero. I love killing heroes. I'll take my time though. Tomorrow, you three will die. I grew tired of Jo's beautiful ass anyway... He's not as seducing as he was, after what I did to him. I broke an old toy today, but I got two new ones to play with ! I can't wait !”

The man laughed madly and left slowly, closing the door behind him as his servants locked it again with chains. They were trapped in Hell's corridor, waiting for their sentence.


	6. Serendipity

The moment was perfect. The sun was coming down on the horizon, dividing the world into two surreal paintings. Shades of oranges and golds ornated the sky when blacks and blues crept on earth. They were alone on that beach as Ace lied down next to Johnny on a warm bath towel, enjoying the perfect temperature and the soft breeze that caressed his wet skin. He turned to his lover and covering him slightly with his body searched for his lips. He initiated a sloppy kiss, his wet hands going down on the other's chest, possessive and strong until he reached the elastic of his trunks and slipped his fingers under it. They were alone, and time seemed to have stopped to let them fully enjoy the moment. 

“You're cold.” said Johnny when he finally he let go of his mouth. His full lips were red and shiny, a dangerous and addictive fruit he couldn't wait to taste again.

“Yeah, I know. Warm me up?”

“I don't need to be told twice.” The young man was smiling, the most beautiful smile Ace had ever seen on him, freed from his sufferings and worries. He looked younger even, refreshed by their happiness and mutual desire. Johnny's crystal-like laugh echoed in the boxer's head and he found himself suddenly on his back, his lover straddling him as he let his impossible long hands caress every inch of the now dried up skin. “What do you want of me, Ace ?”

He was towering over him, his gorgeous silhouette thrown into relief by the setting sun behind him. This vision burned the boxer's eyes but he couldn't let go of the sight. Something gave a resonating sweep to the other's voice, its depth penetrating Ace's heart like an injection of some drug.

“I want nothing of you. I want you.”

His lover bit his lower lip slightly looking down at him and his eyes shined as he considered the question.

“So... Have me.”

The young man got rid of their respective swim trunks in what seemed a magic trick. Nothing had seemed so easier or clearer in Ace's whole life and finally so perfect when the other slowly lowered himself on his erection. The sun was still shining behind him and gave his body fire wings that moved up and down as he rode fiercely, his gaze still fixed on Ace's. His moans made his body tremble, louder than anything the boxer had ever heard, the tremors of them sending jolts of pleasure through his body and annihilating any coherence he could have had left. As the sun finally went down, coloring the world with the most vivid shades of sunset, Ace sat up and embraced his lover's body, eager to taste his golden skin. His tongue licked the strong chest and his mouth playfully sucked a nipple, teasing just enough to make the other go crazy. Johnny tasted like honey and cinnamon there, mixed with a twist of body cream and salty sweat. His round shoulders went up and down rhythmically as his hips rocked faster and stronger, making them both see stars. Their cries of pleasure sounded wild and uncontrolled, as they were going through the most intense moment of their lives. But something was not sitting right. Somehow, far, far away, another voice entered the scene, annoyingly buzzing in Ace's ears as he was reaching his peak. A hand violently shook his shoulder and everything faded out, the gold replaced by the cold white of the walls, the sun by the neons and the pleasure by discomfort. He was lying next to Johnny on a small bed and his lover was indeed trembling. Not out of pleasure but fever. His skin wasn't as gold as a delicious and freshly baked bread but deadly pale, shaded by bruises and burns. And Gum was trying to wake him up, almost screamig his name in panic. 

“Ace !!! Wake up now !”

“Gum ? What … ?”

“I let you sleep for a while but they're moving out there, we must prepare for what's to come...”

“Yeah... right. Sorry I fell asleep. How are you ?”

“My head hurts, but I'm not the one to worry for...” Gum's goofy smile was strangely comforting as he reached for Johnny's forehead. But even his optimism couldn't resist the truth. The other was in a really bad condition, his breath ragged and his heart pounding strongly while his fever hit another peak. “I think he's got a blood poisoning. I'm not a doctor, okay ? But It's really serious. We need to cure him as soon as possible.”

Ace caressed his lover's hair, as flashbacks of his dream came back, blurry and sickeningly happy.

_What do you want of me, Ace ?_

“I want you to live, idiot. Live.” he whispered against the other's forehead as he laid there a kiss. Reality was the cruelest thing ever.

****************

When the door opened later, it let pass six huge men who looked like mutts. Two of them approached the bed and threw Ace on the floor. He understood too late that they were here to take Johnny from him, as the largest of the two grabbed the passed out man and charged him on his shoulder like a mere sack of vegetables. His hand tried to reach the other's, in a desperate attempt to keep him but the mutt was maintaining his skinny body down on the floor without much of an effort. He was exhausted as well as Gum and they both weren't strong enough to fight.

When the door closed behind the henchmen, no words had been said and Ace had lost the only part of his soul remaining. If Keisuke meant to destroy them wholly, it was a success. Johnny would die and he would die, and Gum as well. Their friends had not moved yet, they might have even considered their recklessness as a behavior worth of punishment... and would never come. Or way too late.

The only thing he could do was to make his lover's sufferings cease the faster he could, so he threw himself onto the door and kicked it, hit it while screaming, hoping it could attract his abuctor's attention. Gum went at it with him and soon both of them were rocking the closed door like rabid animals trying to escape a cage.

When they were out of breath, the door finally unlocked. Men tied up their hands and took them like they had done with Johnny. They were brought to a circular room, almost entirely plunged in darkness. The center was the only place enlighted by a stained glass rotunda that let the sun in. Keisuke was sitting there on a metallic armchair, smoking a cigarette. He waved at them when they were thrown in the light, blinded by the sudden brightness of the day. 

“Hey guys ! You're a noisy bunch. I guess we'll have to silence you. I don't want anyone outside to notice my lil'games.”

Johnny was there as well, sprawled on a chair but surprisingly conscious and his eyes opened. His chest went up erratically, lifted by difficult breaths. He smiled to Ace, weakly, the effort sending jolts of pain to his brain.

“He's courageous this one, you know. I guess he didn't tell you what were our games but he kept coming back without flinching. It was fascinating to see him being so comitted to his mission, the one you guys had given him without thinking. It's your fault after all. In what kind of world is whoring safe ? Tell me ? Don't worry though, I'm going to end his sufferings after I'm done with you two. Jo's my creation, my perfect little doll.”

Keisuke left his chair and slowly walked up to them. He smiled and kicked Gum in the stomach with a surreal strength. Ace's friend collapsed, spitting blood on the floor just before him. The boxer cried helplessness tears as his ennemy took a hold of his hair and punched him repeatedly. The world was a blur and he finally could hear Johnny screaming, throwing his last strengths into protest.

“Jo ! Shut the fuck up !” The beating stopped and Keisuke walked back a few step to take a long good look at them. “Who would have thought I would be bored with you three so fast ? Let's end this quick.” 

He took a gun from his holster and pointed it at Ace's head. The boxer heard the loading noise and his eyes closed as he gave up on life. His end would be miserable, he, who couldn't protect the only person he had loved utterly. When the bang resonated in the room he felt no pain at all and a heavy weight fell on him instead, as the loose knot imprisoning his hands untied. When he opened his eyes again, Keisuke was swearing and reloading his fancy gun manually, in a rush. Johnny was lying just before him, a bullet lodged in his shoulder, just above his heart. The blood was gushing from the wound but he was smiling, a hand clenching Ace's jeans.

“I'll go before you, my love. Stay alive, please.” As the weak words came out the young man's mouth, a formidable explosion shook the building and guns fired. A bullet went through Keisuke's hand and he let his gun go, screaming in pain. Unable to sort out what was happening, Ace turned towards the entrance and saw his friends coming in wearing their immaculate suits. Arsenal was still holding his gun towards Keisuke, the hate disfiguring him. The henchmen stopped moving, seeing their boss threatened by guns and knives. The situation was somehow under control and Toppo was even taking care of Gum who had just regained his composure. A strange status quo fell on the room, everyone observing anyone in a tense exchange of glares.

Ace took his lover in his arms off the floor and shook him, trying to wake him up. They had won and he had to see it. He had to. 

His desperate movements were soon joined by tears and screams of desperation. The other was not moving and the boxer couldn't feel his breath or his heart anymore. 

“Please... I beg you... please... Why did you do that again ?? Why sacrificing yourself for me ?? Why...” 

They heard a laugh, a dirty and crazy laugh coming from Keisuke's throat.

“I finally killed him ! Finally ! He was a tough one but...”

His voice and laugh died in a gurgle as his head was hit by Arsenal's last bullet and his limp body fell to the floor. 

****************

The van was rushing through traffic, headed towards the closest hospital that would accept Johnny. Jacky had checked him up and said there was still hope, if he fought long enough. The trip seemed awfully long to Ace who held the other in his arms, lulling him with loving words. When they arrived there, they got separated and Johnny was brought in surgery while nurses took care of his own and Gum's injuries. Mac was negotiating with the head nurse to avoid her reporting this strange case to the police. He was seducing enough to wrap up the negotiations in a few minutes. This group of handsome guys hurrying through the ER had made their day and the nurses were convinced easily with winks and charming smiles. 

When they were both fixed up, the intolerable waiting started. The six of them were at loss of words, sat in the waiting area, looking at each other with worry. Arsenal stood up and cleared his throat.

“I need a smoke. Ace ?”

“Yeah... I'd love a smoke too.”

He followed his older friend outside, where they found a bench to sit on. Arsenal gave him a cigarette and lit it. At first, the silence remained, heavy and embarassing, but Ace finally broke it.

“I wanted to say thank you. You did what I couldn't do.”

“What ? Kill a man without defense ? Yeah, I did that. What I would have loved to do is protecting Johnny.”

“Same here.” Ace's voice broke as tears crept up to his eyes, again. He felt helpless and lost, drowning into the memories and the dreams, not even able to tell the difference between what had actually happened and the fantasies. 

“Oh, you helped him. He finally fell in love for real, that's something big.” Arsenal put his hand on his friend's shoulder. “I thought his heart was broken for good and that he couldn't love anymore, him who craved the most for it among us. I've seen how he looked at you before passing out, I've heard the sound of his voice when he talked to you. You honestly gave him your heart, and it's the most beautiful present you could have made.”

“He may be dead by now.”

“... Shrödinger's cat, my friend.”

“What ?”

“As long as you don't know if he's made it or not, no need to cry. You'll find out only when you'll open the box. But at least you can be proud of yourself for having shown beauty and love to him, in his unfortunate situation. Anything can bloom from this, even a strong will to survive.”

Silence fell again on them as Ace looked up at the enlightened windows of the surgery unit. Dawn was here, painting the sky a greyish purple. Some birds were flying, chirping happily and greeting the sun with their dances. It was utterly gorgeous and he somehow felt better for a second, finding beauty hidden in the saddest day of his life.


	7. Rainy with Sun Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this final chapter is the English translation of one of their songs, 雨のち晴 , "Ame nochi hare" in which Ryo and Ohkura are singing together. Their voices are harmonizing so well that I thought it could make a great conclusion to the story.

It was past ten in the morning when the doctors came back to the waiting area. Ace had fallen asleep exhausted, his head on Mac's lap. He underwent a deep sleep, too deep to dream, too deep to even notice his body had had some rest when his friend shook his shoulder to wake him up.

“Ace, it's done. Wake up.”

He opened his heavy eyelids, sealed by dried tears, and realized that the surgeon was standing before them with a yellow file in her hands. She smiled. 

If things had gone wrong she wouldn't smile, right ?

“Okay, so... Who's in charge here ? I need a relative to talk to and there's nothing written in his file...”

Mac stood up and said with a decided voice :

“We are his relatives. We're orphans and grew up together. We live together and share everything, you can speak to all of us.”

The surgeon had a small surprised smile and looked at the six tired and worried guys, obviously looking for some explanation for this strange situation. She took a seat eventually and cleared her throat.

“Alright. Let's talk then... So, this guy... I don't even have his name written here...”

“Johnny. His name is Johnny.” stated Ace who couldn't wait anymore. He was half standing, his muscles tensed, ready to jump or to collapse depending on the news.

“Ok, so Johnny... Basically, he'll make it. We did what we could and there was quite a lot of work. I don't know what he went through and I don't wanna know but they didn't go easy on him. The bullet wound is okay, no vital organs touched. For the rest, well... there was a severe internal bleeding and an infection. But we fixed up the bleeding and the infection was noticed in time, so a few antibiotics and he'll be all good. May I suggest that he takes some vacation or maybe just stops doing dangerous things ? He seems to be tough, but he won't be forever...” She stood up and started to leave when Ace grabbed her for a hug. He was crying on her shoulder and the confusion was visible all over her face. “Maybe you should all take a vacation, you seem a bit on edge...”

When finally Ace let go of her she smiled to them and took her leave. 

****************

 

A few days had gone by since Johnny had left the hospital and they'd decided to reopen the club at night to keep their minds busy. Ace was in a state of utter confusion, divided between his happiness of seeing the person he loved alive and the ignorance in which Johnny kept him. They'd not have a proper conversation since that fateful night and the Temptation Room stayed locked most of the time. His lover made an appearance or two every day, grabbing some food, letting himself checked by Jacky who tended his wounds and gave him his pills. The boxer had knocked at his door several times, had begged for entrance even, but his requests had only met silence. Mac had told him that the other needed some time to heal and that it would change eventually... But it all looked like they'd gone back from scratch, Ace being madly in love and Johnny being a cold hearted beauty.

They were all having lunch in the common room that day. An awkward silence persisted and only the noise of forks and chopsticks could be heard when someone forced the locked front door of the club. The cracking sound made them jump on their feet and grab the first things they could find in order to defend themselves. Ace went to Johnny and without saying a word pushed him behind himself. It wouldn't happen twice. They heard the sound of leather shoes heels coming down the stairs, slowly approaching the lounge. When their unwanted visitor came in, Johnny had a desperate cry, as if he had seen a ghost. 

“Gentlemen, I must apologize for your door, but you're awfully difficult to find and to approach. I wanted to have a little chit chat with you about... what happened.”

“And you are ?” Asked Mac, still standing in the front, armed with the bread knife.

“Oh, sorry. My name is Takahiro Hasegawa. Keisuke's unfortunate father.” 

Tension went up in the room as the head of the Hasegawa clan took a seat and his henchmen surrounded him. 

“Please, have a seat, you're in your club after all...” Everything in that man sounded fake. His smile was awfully cruel and his piercing gaze was the same that Ace had despised in his son. Mac took a chair, still holding his knife and the others did as well, except for Ace, still shielding a paralyzed Johnny with his body.

“So. What are you here for ?” asked Mac, showing he had some guts. His voice remained collected and Ace could see in his attitude that he was thinking faster than ever, already scheming something to avoid the bloodbath that could occur.

“What am I here for ? You fucking cunts killed my son. I call that a reason.”

“Your son was a head case, screwed up from the core. He tortured and abused one of us, shot him in the heart.” Arsenal's voice resonated in the room, powerful and vibrating. “I killed him. And I'd do it again, with pleasure. If you wanna take revenge I'm your man, but let them go.”

“Who talked about revenge ? I know my son was nuts. I tried to control him but sometimes I couldn't, I'm very busy... He deserved what befell him, but still, he was my son and I somehow loved him.”

“So If you don't want to avenge his death, I'm asking again, what are you here for ?” Mac had let go of his knife on the nearest table and was a lot more relaxed. 

“First to say sorry for what has happened. It may sound strange given who I am but torture's not my way. Keisuke crossed the line too many times and I was at loss. But... What will people think if I let you all go without doing anything ? That the Boss is weak ? I can't afford this. So hear me now : I'm not going to kill you or make you pay. I just want you to leave. Go anywhere but not around Tokyo. I don't want to hear about you seven orphans anymore... If I do hear that you're staying, well, I might reconsider my offer...” He paused, letting his words float around the room. “So... What do you say ?” 

Mac turned towards the others and they all nodded, approving one after another. They'd lived too many bad things lately, and escaping from the city could be a good occasion to settle down.

“I think we're okay. We'll leave within a month... Our friend is still weak and we have a lot to do with the club.”

“Alright. You have a month, no more. Disappear and stay put. For the next time we meet, I won't be as forgiving.”

He left on those words, a wicked smile on the lips. 

***************

Strangely, the idea of leaving the capital for good gave them extra motivation. The club was sold pretty fast to a honest family and Jacky found a restaurant for sale in Osaka that would be perfect for them. He would be able to cook proper dishes and the others were happy to abandon the long nights working at a club. Only Johnny still remained silent, carrying himself around as if nothing had colors or taste, only stopping sometimes to take a nap on Ace's lap who was so glad for it that he wouldn't move until the other was done. This strange relationship was getting on his nerves but he would do anything for contact, to feel his lover's head heavy on him, Johnny's hands resting on his thighs. A week before the deadline, they were ready to go, everything packed and already brought to Osaka by truck. Mac locked the door before all of them, obviously moved by all this.

“Good bye, old life.” he said, touching the metallic door with the tip of this fingers. He turned towards the others with a smile. “ Now guys, we start a new life. The most important is that we stay together. We started seven, we'll finish seven.” He was on the verge of crying, his black eyes all wet with tears. Jacky took his hand and they both walked up to the van, followed by the others. But Ace had other plans. He grabbed Johnny's hand and dragged him to another car, parked behind the van.

“Ace, where are you going ?”

“Oh, don't worry we'll catch you later, in Osaka... Remember ? Johnny needs some vacation.” His goofy smile made his friends chuckle for the first time in days. His clueless lover had been pushed into the car and remained seated, his travel bag on his lap.

“Alright, we'll see you then... Just tell us where you are !”

“Sure ! Thanks guys.”

He sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. He drove fast, headed out of Tokyo, towards the south. Only when they went past the last busy suburbs, Johnny opened his mouth and talked.

“So... Are you kidnapping me or something ?”

“Whoa, thank god ! You can speak ! I'm not kidnapping you, I'm taking you on a vacation. You deserve it.” He looked at his lover and his heart jumped in his chest when he saw a timid smile spreading on the beloved lips.

“Where are we going ?”

“Somewhere with a beach...” 

Johnny had a small laugh at that, finally relaxing on his seat.

“You're so consistent. I love that simplicity of yours.”

“Just say I'm dumb. Just say I'm crazy in love with you.”

The young man didn't answer but his smile went bigger as his right hand rested on Ace's leg. The warmth created by the contact had the boxer almost crying from happiness as he drove on the highway, far from Tokyo and away from their past. When Ace parked the car in front of a small inn dominating the south coast, the sun was almost down on the horizon. They checked in and left at once, the boxer leading Johnny down the cliff, on a small white beach. The air felt absurdly good, envelopping them as they walked barefoot in the thin and warm sand. They sat next to each other, watching the sun move down slowly, as its wonderful colors changed the world around them. Johnny laid down and put his head on his lover's lap, as he had gotten used to in the past few weeks. Ace's hands caressed his hair, going slowly over every inch of his sensible scalp, lulling him to inner peace.

“Johnny ?”

“Hm ?”

“I dreamed all of this... one day. Somehow, I knew that it would happen.”

“You and your dreams... Is there any other dream I should know about ?”

“Hum... yeah. But... we are in no hurry and...” His cheeks had turned pink as he remembered the dream he'd had that terrible night. Johnny looked up with an amused smirk while Ace tried to prevent his imagination and his body from going wild. 

“Oh but I want to know about that...” The young man sat up again, leaning forward slowly until his lips barely touched the other's. Their hearts both beat hard as Ace closed his eyes and answered to the kiss with delectation. His whole body felt like going through a roller coaster ride as the touches escalated until they both found each other again, without restraint or prohibition.

Johnny broke their kiss and put a hand on Ace's chest, just above his heart.

“It took me long enough to understand, but you're the one. Our life is complicated and dangerous, but as long as I'm with you, I'll fight. Thank you for existing in my world.”

“You're welcome.” answered the boxer as he resumed their kissing passionately, finally freed from any barriers between them. They would build their own happiness, standing as one against death. And nothing could scare them anymore.

 

 

THE END.


End file.
